Listen Up: Here’s Why Music is the Key to Fitness

Deep down, everyone wants to be as fit and healthy as possible. The only thing is life can get in the way. And, if it doesn’t, the majority of us find it difficult to unearth the motivation to hit the gym. The result is that you might not look in the mirror and like what you see. But, before you begin putting yourself down, there is good news: music can change your body. Yep, the banging tunes which emit from your iPod are the key to getting healthy and maintaining your fitness. Here are the reasons why.

Exercise Is Boring

Anyone who has ever been on a treadmill or gone for a jog will know they are fun-filled experiences. While you are working out, it is possible to put the monotony behind you for the sake of your well-being. However, this is not the case if you are trying to get out of the house. Music comes in handy because it relieves the boredom. By blasting out a selection of your favourites, you can drift off into a parallel universe and forget about exercising. When you come around, the time will have flown and you will be ready to finish.

It’s A Good Distraction

The last paragraph touched on this a little, so let’s go into more detail. When you workout, it is hard to distract yourself from the process. As a result, you can get in your head and make achieving your fitness goals harder. Think about going for a run. In the beginning, the thought of completing 10km could be mentally challenging. So, by the time you are half way round, your mind might be preparing to quit. A distraction allows you to forget about the toughness of your workout until the last moment. That way, there is a higher chance of finishing without quitting.

Ups Your Effort

Far from preventing you from quitting, it also increases the intensity. The National Center for Biotechnology Information conducted a study in 2012. In it, they found that faster music upped the tempo of cyclists compared to slower melodies. And, it isn’t just cyclists because a quick beat has a positive effect on all athletes. So, with headphones from Kindsound and a banging playlist, you can raise your output by 3.5%. Just make sure you listen to more Prodigy than you do Adele. Otherwise, the effects will reverse.

Forces Movement

Have you ever put on a record and started dancing? If you took the time to analyse this phenomenon, you would realise it’s because of the musical groove syndrome. Quite simply, songs can make a person move subconsciously, which is good for two reasons. The first is it uplifts your attitude toward exercise. If you are in motion and ready to go, the idea of working out won’t seem as strenuous. Secondly, the groovy nature of music means you can burn calories anywhere at anytime. You don’t even have to put on your trackies and pound the pavement!

Yep, it’s official: music and exercise go together like salt and pepper. Only, they are better for you in large quantities.

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- Chiino
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